


The Sun, The Devil and The Hanged Man

by kitkatkreates



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Anxiety, DLC content, Galarian Star Tournament, Good Older Sibling Nezu | Piers (Pokemon), M/M, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Post SWSH Main Story, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28338267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitkatkreates/pseuds/kitkatkreates
Summary: The Sun (Upright): Positivity, freedom, fun, success, optimism, vitality, joy, confidence, self-expression, good luck, enthusiasm, happiness, truthThe Devil (Upright): Addiction, secrecy, obsession, dependency, bondage, materialism, sexuality, powerlessnessThe Hanged Man (Upright): Feeling trapped, confined, self-limiting, uncertainty, lack of direction, needing release, letting goPiers wasn’t sure what to expect when he had opened the door to the former Champion of Galar himself one morning, but he definitely wasn’t expecting to be handed not one, but two slightly crumpled envelopes addressed to himself and his sister.What is an ex-Gym Leader to do when he is spontaneously invited to a tournament featuring the two strongest trainers in Galar, both of whom he (may or may not, he is still deciding that) have feelings for?
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers, Dande | Leon/Nezu | Piers, Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	1. An Invitation of New Beginnings

Piers wasn’t sure what to expect when he had opened the door to the former Champion of Galar himself one morning, but he definitely wasn’t expecting to be handed not one, but two slightly crumpled envelopes addressed to himself and his sister. With his brain still trying to make sense of it all he can only watch as that very same man walks right out of Spikemuth’s front doors with a wave of his hand, the ex-Champion’s purple mane fluttering about behind him. Curious green eyes flick to the mail in hand, examining the wax seal with much caution and suspicion. It’s not often that visitors come to Spikemuth, let alone anyone with such a prestigious title as Leon, but Piers resigns to the idea that this is just another one of the former Champion’s grand ideas that he will likely be asked to be part of.

Turning on his heel Piers returns to the comfort of his home once more, shutting the door behind him and heading to the dining room where he places the envelopes down on the table.

“Marnie! C’mere a second!” He calls out, sharp voice practically bouncing off the walls and reverberating in their quiet Spikemuth home. Piers only has to wait a few moments before he hears footsteps coming down the stairs, a sleepy Marnie making her way around the corner hastily adjusting her pigtails which had fallen out sometime during the night. The ex-Gym Leader smiles fondly at the sight, reminiscing the times in which he used to do her hair for her.

“Leon came an’ dropped off some mail fer us, sorry ta rouse ye from yer sleep” He says and reaches a hand over, helping her tidy up one of her bows that seems to be a bit uneven. Marnie tiredly pouts in response to her brother’s fussing and even gently swats at his hand, a small yawn escaping as she rubs the sleep out of her eyes.

“Uwahhh…mail? For us? Mmh…what’d it say?” She asks as she makes her way over to the dining table, picking up the crumpled envelope addressed to her name. She turns it over a few times in her hands before noticing Piers’ unopened envelope, casting her older brother a sidelong glance before proceeding to tear open the envelope with reckless abandon. Piers, meanwhile, carefully picks up his envelope and admires the handiwork on the wax seal, his thumb brushing over the imprint of the Champion’s sigil.

The wax is a lovely shade of red, very official-looking, and shines faintly in the dim lighting of the dining room. Marnie has since tossed her tattered envelope onto the table, and Piers glances at her excitedly reading the letter with furrowed brows and a determined expression. It must be something good to read if she’s fired up already. Swallowing his nerves Piers finally finds the resolve to open the envelope, tearing the wax from the paper and sliding the letter out from the flimsy confines. Deft, pale fingers unfold the letter to reveal its contents, the dark-type trainer standing in silence as he reads the message delivered by Leon.

_Dear Piers,_

_It is my greatest honour and pleasure to invite you to a new tournament; the Galarian Star Tournament! You will be competing against some of the strongest trainers from right here in the Galar region. I extend this invitation to you as an ex-Gym Leader in hopes that you will join us for a Champion time!_

_The tournament will begin in 3 days, and should leave you enough time to prepare for the battles you are going to face. If you have any enquiries in regards to this please do not hesitate to contact me in any way you see fit. My Rotomphone is always available for you to call! I wish you and Marnie well and look forward to seeing you at Wyndon Stadium in 3 days time!_

_Kind regards,_

_Leon,_

_Pokemon League Chairman_

After blinking a few times just to confirm that what he’s reading is real Piers soon places the letter back down on the table, pushing back his monochrome bangs with a contemplative sigh. It’s not hard to believe that Leon would do something as spontaneous as this, but regardless of that he’s still wondering whether there’s any ulterior motives to this. Those wandering thoughts of paranoia and suspicion are soon shaken out of him (almost literally) as Marnie eagerly shakes his shoulder to get his attention.

“Bro we have to go! This will be our chance to show everyone the power of Dark types!” Marnie’s eyes are shining as she stares up at him, and it’s enough to make him smile once more and pat the top of her head endearingly. He could never say no to her.

“A’right Marnie, we’ll go. We’ll ‘ave to be sure to let the town know. Ye reckon ye could make that announcement? Yer Gym Leader after all” He says, though there’s no trace of envy or jealousy in his words. He’s proud, mighty proud, of his younger sister. Piers would have no one else take over Spikemuth Gym, and Marnie deserves the chance to shine as a leader. Speaking of Marnie, she’s already racing upstairs presumably to get dressed, showing obvious signs that she’s absolutely exhilarated by the proposal of a new tournament to participate in. It’s a time to show that she’s gotten stronger, and while Piers knows he doesn’t need to be proved that she has, Marnie is certain that she needs to prove others of her newfound strength as a Gym Leader.

The punk rockstar left behind in the dining room simply lets out a soft chuckle as he shakes his head, hand instinctively reaching up to play with the pendant attached to the choker around his neck. He tends to forget to take it off most of the time, since he’s so used to it being there. It’s like it’s become a part of him. Taking one final glance at the letter, for satisfaction’s sake, he heads out of the dining room in search of his bedroom, his hand moving from the pendant to his tangled and knotted bed hair. Piers had managed to tie it up into a loose ponytail just before Leon had arrived, since he had woken up only moments prior. It’s the one part of his daily routine that he sometimes dreads, considering how knotted and tangled his hair can get during the night.

Piers smiles when he notices his beloved Obstagoon rouse from his sleep, excited at the sight of his trainer. It was his Obstagoon’s turn to have a chance out of his Pokeball, just as each of Piers’ Pokemon get a chance. He has a roster set up for it after all.

“‘ey ‘Goon, ‘ow’d ye sleep hm? We’re gonna do some trainin’ today a’right?” Piers reaches over and gently pats Obstagoon’s head, smiling when the dark-type Pokemon eagerly nuzzles his hand in response to the affection. “Yeah I know, it’s gonna be fun, or at least I ‘ope it’ll be” The former Gym Leader takes a seat down in front of the vanity he has set up in the corner of his room, grabbing a hairbrush and comb to proceed brushing through his hair.

He glances down when he feels Obstagoon rest his head on his lap, letting out another soft laugh as he combs through his hair with his fingers to feel where the knots are. As he does so his mind wanders to Leon. What goes on in that brain of his to have come up with something like the Galarian Star Tournament? It almost makes Piers laugh to think about how headstrong his…friend? Acquaintance? Can he even _consider_ Leon a friend? They hardly talk to each other, but the ex-Champion clearly has acknowledged his skills and strength as a trainer to have been invited to something that’s got a prestigious air to it.  
  
His brows furrow and his gaze turns concentrated as he watches himself brush through his hair, green eyes steely and focused as his mind continues to wander elsewhere. Who else would have been invited to the tournament? He can only assume the other Gym Leaders would be there, and that would likely include Raihan, who hasn’t stopped bugging him since the incident with the two ‘princes’ a few months ago. Speaking of which, he’s surprised his Rotomphone hasn’t blown up with messages yet, which is unusual considering the dragon tamer’s social habits. That can only mean Leon hasn’t given the Hammerlocke Gym Leader his letter yet.  
  
Piers hisses when his brush gets caught on a knot, pain shooting through his scalp for a brief moment. He hates how he’s always had a sensitive scalp, but his Ma always knew of a way to make brushing his hair as painless as possible. With a sigh Piers grabs the nearby comb and carefully combs through the knot, teeth gritted as he grips the base of his hair to make it easier for him to brush through. Where was he? Oh right, Raihan. He really has been eager for a rematch, but neither of them have had the time considering the aftermath of certain events. The dragon trainer’s enthusiasm is almost annoying to a certain extent, but he can’t deny that Raihan’s passion for battling is fairly contagious. Piers scoffs as he remembers the intense look in Raihan’s eyes the last time they battled, a blue, piercing gaze filled with a burning desire that’s unidentifiable to Piers.

Being reminded of such a gaze is enough to startle Piers out of his thoughts once more, the rockstar huffing as he slams the brush down on the vanity. He reaches into his drawer and pulls out a thick hairband to tie his hair back, letting out a sigh as he gathers his long hair back as tight as he can. Why was he even reminiscing about such a time? It’s not like he misses battling Raihan…right? Piers can’t say for certain if he does, but he’s sure that when the time comes that he goes to Wyndon for the tournament he will put his all into battling Raihan, should their paths cross again.

“Ugh…am I bein’ a fool for agreein’ to this ‘Goon?” He asks as he pets Obstagoon’s head once his hair is tied, gazing down at the Pokemon who seems quite content resting on his lap. He remembers when Obstagoon was a little Zigzagoon, oh how cute he was (and he’s still cute now).

“I mean, it’s all rather spontaneous ‘innit? Marnie seems excited ‘bout it. Maybe it won’t be so bad?” The former Gym Leader is mainly saying this to reassure himself about the whole idea, but the slow, petting motions he’s making as he feels Obstagoon’s fur is enough to help calm his nerves at least slightly. The familiar, soft texture puts him at ease and soon enough Piers gently pats Obstagoon’s head as a sign to get up.

“C’mon, let’s get ready to go out an’ train” He says, making his way to his wardrobe to get dressed.

He’s currently deciding between going with his regular outfit or going with something more tame and ideal for training. It’s not too much of an important decision to deliberate on, but it’s surely giving him time to procrastinate and avoid training. He’s nervous, and it shows. He’s always had his doubts when it comes to his skills as a trainer, but having both Leon and Raihan notice and acknowledge his strength is absolutely unheard of. Two of the strongest trainers in Galar…now what exactly would they want with him; a former Gym Leader who doesn’t Dynamax? It’s too much to stress about now, so he extends an arm into the wardrobe and pulls out a simple tank top and slim jeans to get changed into.

“A’right ‘Goon, back into yer Pokeball fer now” Piers says, returning Obstagoon back into his Pokeball before taking the chance to change out of his pyjamas.

Piers tosses his pyjamas onto his bed as soon as he’s gotten out of them, and he soon takes a moment to check himself out in his vanity’s mirror to see how he looks. Happy with his current getup he turns and grabs his belt that has his Pokeballs attached, clasping it low around his hips and fastening Obstagoon’s Pokeball with the others. He then turns to his bedside table and grabs his Rotomphone, pocketing it for now before he leaves his room. Out of his peripheral vision Piers spots Marnie just outside her room, giving herself a pep talk with her Morpeko dancing about her feet happily. Looks like he isn’t the only one who’s nervous.  
  
“Out to do some trainin’ too?” The older brother asks, making his way downstairs with her and hearing Morpeko chirp happily as he bounds down the stairs. What a cute little Pokemon. He’s glad he caught Morpeko for Marnie.

“Mhm! I’m off to the Wild Area, I want to train at some Dynamax Dens. An’ before you even start; I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me” She says with a signature pout, which simply earns another laugh from Piers.

“Ye know I always worry ‘bout ye. I was thinkin’ of doing the same, but I’ll be sure ta let ye train in yer own area” The two soon step foot into the streets of Spikemuth, Piers being sure to lock the door behind him before making his way towards the entrance of the grunge-looking town.

The Spikemuth siblings now begin their venture together towards the Wild Area, following the tunnel through Route 9 towards Hammerlocke. Of course they have to make their way through Hammerlocke before getting to the Wild Area, and Piers can only hope that he doesn’t come across Raihan. Arceus knows if he’ll be looped into some conversation about a rematch or dragon eggs again.

“Bro, when we get to the Wild Area I’m gonna head over to the Motostoke side, there’s appar’ntly a strong Pokemon in one of the dens” Marnie speaks up, adjusting her backpack and looking up to her taller brother. In the natural light it’s a lot easier to see his eyebags, which he’s had as long as Marnie can remember. Piers doesn’t seem to mind it though, and claims it ‘suits his punk look’, and he’s not entirely wrong.

“That’s all good with me, ye got plenty of potions and revives? There’s a Pokemon Center in Motostoke as well if ye need ta stock up” Piers reminds her as they walk along, listening to the cries of the many Pokemon (Liepard, Toxel and Thievul just to name a few) that reside in Route 7, now that they’ve exited the tunnel. He’s glad he’s away from the cold of Route 9, after all the punk rockstar has never really been one for the cold in general. “Anyway, I’ve got my Rotomphone on me if ye need ta contact me at all. I’ll be ‘anging around the Hammerlocke area”

A nod from Marnie confirms that she understands what he’s said, the younger dark-type user knowing just how worried her older brother gets about her. He’s had to raise her since they were both young after all. Their attention is soon drawn to the sight of Hammerlocke as they approach, Piers looking up high and noticing the shattered top of Hammerlocke’s central building; just above the stadium. The sight of it is enough to make his gut churn, memories returning of the Darkest Day, or what almost was the Darkest Day. It looks like the top of Hammerlocke is still being rebuilt from what Piers can see, and it’s a wonder how Raihan acts so carefree when he’s got his hands full with all this mess.

“I’m gonna stop by the Pokemon Center before I ‘ead out, ye take care, a’right?” He reaches a slender hand over and gently pats Marnie’s head once more, taking care not to mess up her hair this time. His younger sister takes this as her time to leave, bidding a quick goodbye and waving as she runs off into Hammerlocke with Morpeko bouncing in tow. Piers continues at his own leisurely pace, wandering through Hammerlocke’s eastern gates and gazing around the medieval-themed city. While he would never admit it out loud, the city does have a certain charm to it, and more often than not he would spot multiple couples confessing their love through the gifting of Applins. In fact, there’s one confessing right now.  
  
A small grimace appears on Piers’ features as he looks away from the show of intimacy, continuing onwards to the Pokemon Center nearby the centre of Hammerlocke. They’ve got more of a variety of items there anyway, in case he wanted to grab some full restores and revives. As the dark-type trainer walks along he pulls out his phone to check on his social media, something he very rarely does, but he finds himself intrigued to know if anyone has posted about the Galarian Star Tournament. Piers finds himself pleasantly surprised that no one has posted a single thing, even Raihan, which is unusual since the dragon-type trainer seems practically glued to his phone most of the time.  
  
With his gaze narrowed at his screen, he doesn’t even realise that a small group has gathered outside the Pokemon Center he was heading towards, and it’s only when there’s a few high pitched screams that he looks up to see what the commotion is. That’s when he finally notices the annoyingly bright, and unfortunately familiar, orange headband, coupled with the fanged grin of Hammerlocke’s renowned Gym Leader. Piers nearly groans out loud out of pure annoyance, considering he had hoped he wouldn’t cross paths with the guy. But it’s a bit late to turn and walk away now when Raihan looks over and locks eyes with the Spikemuth rockstar, gently wading through the crowd to approach him.  
  
“Piers! Good to see you! How are you? You look well!” The happy grin sent Piers’ way makes his gut churn again, but in a different kind of way than before. How did Marnie get past him without getting pulled aside for a chat?

“Ah…yes I’m doin’ fine” Piers responds, looking rather disinterested as he glances away and immediately fiddles with the pendant of his choker. The dragon tamer notices him doing so and takes a moment before turning to the crowd of fangirls, and fanboys, surrounding the two of them, addressing that very same crowd; “I know you guys are excited to see me, but I assure you I’ll still be hanging around here today! I’ve gotta go train now, so I‘ll see you around!”

The fans look a bit disappointed but respect the influencer’s wishes, saying a multitude of ‘goodbyes’ and ‘I love yous’ as they depart to elsewhere in the city. With a small, content sigh Raihan now turns to the monochrome man before him, giving him an apologetic smile.

“Sorry about that! My fans tend to get a bit rowdy when I’m out in the city, and they’re especially rampant since Leon dropped by not too long ago” Oh, so he did receive his letter then? A quick glance up and down reveals to Piers that the letter is in Raihan’s hoodie pocket, that same stupid hoodie he wears everywhere.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, I know there’s a swarm wherever ye go”. This seems to earn a laugh from Raihan, who must’ve assumed that Piers was attempting to be funny. He wasn’t.

“Ah, you’re not wrong though. Say, you wouldn’t have happened to have gotten the same letter I got from Leon right? About the Galarian Star Tournament?” With a quick show of his hand Raihan pulls out the envelope from his pocket, a smug grin on his face and an excited glint in his eyes. He only looks like that when he’s on the field in the midst of battle, and to see it up close is unnerving to say the least.

“Looks like we might actually have the chance to have that rematch I talked about eh? Come on, don’t look at me like you didn’t wanna battle again! After all, you are one of the strongest trainers I know”

There he goes again, rambling on about how Piers is so strong or whatever. He never got accustomed to such praise coming from someone as egotistical and self-centred as Raihan.

“Yeah yeah…I got the letter, I was just ‘bout ta go and train in the Wild Area-“ The smaller male jumps when larger hands firmly grasp his shoulders, green eyes widening to finally meet eager blue ones.

“Let’s go train together! C’mon, I’ll show you the best places to train against tough Pokemon!” The sudden proposal is enough to make Piers stammer for words, completely taken aback by the Gym Leader’s enthusiasm that he finds great annoyance in. Before he can even answer the taller man takes Piers by the hand and leads him along, grinning from ear to ear with Piers attempting to protest behind him.

“I-I can walk by myself Raihan!” He snaps out bitterly, but doesn’t have the strength to pull out of Raihan’s grip. His hands feel a lot softer than he thought they’d be, since he works with dragons a lot of the time.

“Yeah but you’re so small and lanky, you’ll fall behind! C’mon, keep up!” Following those long legs in stride Piers does exactly that, trying to keep up with Raihan and not trip over himself in the meantime. He feels like this might become a lot more chaotic than he was initially planning.

Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is my first fic in a really long time (and my first fic on AO3) so I hope you guys like it! Please feel free to comment and leave a kudos if you enjoy it! ^ w ^ Thank you!


	2. Training of the Soul, Mind and Body

The harsh glare of the sun causes for Piers to squint as he’s pulled out into the Wild Area, Raihan leading the charge with an exhilarated look on his face. Piers is starting to wonder if he should’ve brought a hat, or his jacket, since the rockstar tends to burn quite easily under the rays of the harsh heat.

“Eugh, Raihan can ye slow down fer just a second!?” He calls out as the taller man strides onward, pulling Piers in tow. It only takes a moment for Raihan to finally slow down the pace, walking at a speed that the punk can match.  
  
“Ah, sorry Piers! Didn’t mean to go too fast. I’m just excited, ya know?” A turn of his head back towards the ex-Gym Leader reveals the brightest smile Piers has seen from Raihan yet, and as he quickly glances away he finds himself feeling regretful about his snappy behaviour.

“’S fine…yer lanky-ass legs just make ye walk a lot faster” Raihan’s happy expression shifts into one of offence, but it’s clear that the dragon tamer is simply playing around with the monochrome punk. “ _Lanky_!? Excuse me, but I happen to work on my legs the most thank you very much!”  
  
Snickering, Piers hides his mouth behind his hand, rolling his eyes and continuing to avert his gaze from the taller male, “Yeah? Ye look like ye’ve got the legs of a Combusken” He adds on, green eyes flicking back to see the reaction he earns from the other trainer. When he sees Raihan with blue eyes wide and mouth open in shock it’s almost enough to rouse a laugh out of him, the dark-type user pushing his bangs back before walking right past Raihan in a subtly smug saunter.

“C’mon, ye were gonna show me some places ta train, 'ight?” The rockstar can practically sense the bafflement radiating off of the influencer, hearing his crunching footsteps as he quickly follows after Piers.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll show you a cool place” He says and is quick to overtake Piers and guide him to their destination, Piers now leaving the bantering to a minimum. The air between them goes quiet without any further conversation, the silence being replaced by the cries of nearby Pokemon and the rustling of the tall grass around them. The Spikemuth punk looks over when he spots a Stufful cry out and run from the grass towards him, a big smile on its face as it spins around in a happy greeting.  
  
A soft smile appears on Piers’ face as he turns and bends down to greet the adorable Pokemon in return, letting the Stufful come forward and sniff his boots curiously. Raihan notices the punk stop and turns to see what’s going on, shoving his hands in his pockets. That look on Piers’ face is…unlike anything the dragon trainer has seen from him before. It’s a softer look than the stone cold expression Piers commonly wears, in fact it looks almost affectionate.

“'ey there li’l guy…ye wanted to say hi? Look at ye, one day yer gonna grow big an’ strong like yer Ma and Pa” Piers says, his voice as smooth and sweet as honey. Has he always had such a sweet way of talking? He’s always been a bit snappy and bitter from what Raihan has experienced, then again Piers is currently talking with a baby Pokemon. It could just be that?

Regardless, Raihan lips twitch into a smile as he watches his friend interact with the tiny Stufful, watching as Piers reaches forward and gives the bear Pokemon a gentle pat on the head, that same Pokemon letting out a happy cry before rushing back into the tall grass once more. The dark-type trainer seems to freeze when he looks over and spots Raihan watching him, a soft pink tint rising to colour his cheeks as he quickly straightens himself and huffs.

“The Pokemon really gravitate toward you, huh? It’s nice, there’s not many trainers who have that sort of gift” The genuine expression only worsens Piers’ embarrassment and he sharply turns his head away, bangs concealing his face from view in hopes that the influencer won’t notice the heat still rising to flush his cheeks.

“Y…Yeah…I guess” Piers reaches up to fiddle with the pendant on his choker once more, continuing to avoid meeting Raihan’s eyes. Arceus, that was embarrassing.

“Are we close yet?” He asks as they resume walking to their destination, lagging a bit behind the Hammerlocke Gym Leader and glancing around them. He recognises this part of the Wild Area only vaguely, they’re heading towards where the Lake of Outrage would be, so they must be in the Dusty Bowl, if Piers can recall correctly.

“Yep! Just here, I’ve spotted quite a few strong Pokemon like Coalossal and Mandibuzz hanging around, and if you’re up for it we can head over to this lake below the Lake of Outrage and check it out to see if a Gyarados is lurking around!”

The punk rockstar seems to grimace at the idea of taking on a Gyarados, but knows that it’ll be good training for his team to take one on.

“A’right…are ye just gonna stick around or are ye gonna go do yer own thin’?” He questions with a raised brow, finally looking to Raihan who’s eyes are already on Piers. That fanged grin makes its appearance yet again and a low, rumbling chuckle rises out of Raihan’s throat, the man pulling out a Pokeball from Arceus knows where and tossing it in his hand once.

“I can leave if you want me to, but I was thinking we could train together, like the old days! How about it?” Raihan is pretty eager to actually spend some time with Piers, considering the last time they spoke in person was back at Hammerlocke Gym where he had wanted a rematch with the ex-Gym Leader.

As Raihan waits patiently for an answer he watches as Piers shifts his weight from either foot, those black and white bangs concealing part of his face from view once again as the shorter male turns his face away from him. The dragon-type trainer doesn’t push him for an answer however, and lets Piers take the time he needs to provide a suitable response. While they haven’t spoken _too_ much in the recent years, he still remembers to give Piers space when he’s looking…anxious, to say the least. The body language and the fiddling with the pendant is an obvious giveaway.

“Well…okay, I suppose we can train together…if ye really want ta” It’s almost endearing the way Piers says it so shyly, but the bitter-looking gaze that’s sent his way almost masks it completely. Raihan is happy with his response regardless, and doesn’t seem to pay much mind to the cold look those green eyes have been sharpened with.

“Great! Let’s head over here under the overhanging rock, I saw a Coalossal here recently, it’d be good to train against it” The dragon tamer turns and begins to walk in that direction, beckoning the other man with a small wave of his hand. He can feel those green eyes practically piercing him from behind as Piers follows in suit, managing to keep up with the stride of Raihan’s long (lanky) legs.

A less comfortable silence falls between them again as they wander into the shade the overhanging rock provides, the taller Gym Leader now taking refuge behind one of the jutting boulders nearby. He is quick to beckon Piers to join him, looking over the rock to spot the same Coalossal he saw the other day.

“Perfect! Here it is, this one’s perfect for you to train against!” Piers seems a bit baffled by how excited Raihan is, the monochrome rockstar sighing as he reaches down and grabs the Pokeball containing Malamar.

“‘ight…’ere goes…”

Piers soon moves out from the cover of the boulder and steps forth to encounter the Coalossal, watching as the Pokemon eyes him with a curious look. It isn’t often he trains in the Wild Area, but it never fails to make him anxious when he faces a strong Pokemon. The Coalossal turns and huffs, embers burning deep within the coals on its back before it roars and prepares to fight the trainer before it. With gritted teeth Piers tosses his Pokeball out in front of him, watching as Malamar lets out a cry and stares the Coalossal down with a narrowed gaze.

“‘ight Malamar, let’s go! 'it ‘em with Night Slash!”

Blue eyes remain fixated on the ex-Gym Leader as he fights the intimidating fire-type Pokemon, a feeling of excitement now beginning to course through Raihan’s veins at the sight or Piers getting himself pumped up to train. It’s a welcoming sight, to see such a determined expression rather than one of distaste or disinterest. The dragon tamer finds himself secretly rooting for Piers, watching as Malamar unleashes a Psycho Cut attack that wears down the wild Coalossal further. Raihan is willing to admit that he enjoys watching Piers battle, just as much as he enjoys watching any other trainer battle. The one thing he enjoys the most is when the rockstar whips out his microphone stand to sing while he battles, but it’s obvious that Piers hasn’t brought it with him to training. Shame.

“Malamar let’s get ‘em! Take ‘em down with Foul Play!” Malamar lets out a cry in response before darting forward to attack, dark energy swirling around the Pokemon before he slams right into the firm rock body of the Coalossal. Raihan lets his lips pull into a fanged grin as he watches the Coalossal roar and topple to the ground, weak from the battle with Piers. The punk rockstar returns Malamar to his Pokeball before now walking forward, pulling out a full restore to give to the weakened Pokemon. While the Coalossal is wary of Piers’ approach, it stays calm, letting the ex-Gym Leader administer the healing medicine that will allow it to get back up again in no time. The gentleness and care is evident in Piers’ attitude as he cares for the larger Pokemon, this being a complete contrast to what Raihan just saw during that battle. It’s interesting how quickly Piers can put on a front, or reveal something deeper that Raihan hadn’t seen before.

It’s not too long until the Coalossal is able to get back onto its feet, looking rather happy after the help it had been given. As it turns it lets out a short, grumbling noise that shakes the coals sitting atop its back, Raihan and Piers now spotting two Rolycoly that wheel out of the tall grass with as much as a relieved expression the one-eyed Pokemon can give. A twitch of a smile appears on Piers’ calmer face as he watches the Coalossal stomp away with the Rolycoly at its side, the smaller Pokemon letting out happy cries at the sight of their parent.

“That was rather nice of you to heal that Coalossal” Raihan says as he comes out from behind the boulder, approaching Piers with a soft smile and watching the Pokemon head off elsewhere, presumably to their home within the Wild Area. Piers begins to look rather sheepish once more, reminding the Hammerlocke Gym Leader much of a Wooloo, or perhaps a Zigzagoon.

“Er…I do it all the time…I can’t stand ta see 'em in pain, ye know? And besides, that Coalossal ‘ad two littl’uns ta look after” This time the rockstar doesn’t hide the softened look on his face, carefully clasping Malamar’s Pokeball back onto his belt with a sigh. It doesn’t seem to be one of annoyance or exasperation, but just…a sigh. Is he tired?

The dragon tamer simply nods in response to what Piers has said, understanding where he’s coming from. After all, Raihan does raise and handle baby dragon Pokemon.

“Yeah of course, that’s understandable. Anyway, I wanna take on the Gyarados in the Lake of Outrage. You’re welcome to join me of course, and if you’re feeling up to it we can even take on a den! I know there’s a couple nearby, so if you want we can go and challenge one to train some more!” That enthusiasm Raihan carries with him always seems to be almost contagious. Almost. Raihan now takes that enthusiasm with him over to the Lake of Outrage, where Piers finds himself following in the same direction. Why? He isn’t really sure.

Piers stops just a few steps away from where Raihan has stopped at the edge of the lake, the dragon tamer grinning as he unzips his signature hoodie and ties it around his hips. He pulls out the Pokeball containing his Goodra, which he sends out in front of him just in the shallow water of the lake. Goodra seems quite happy to have landed in the water, having a bit of a splash around which gains the attention of the large Gyarados nearby.

“Hey, c’mere Gyarados!” The influencer waves over to the water-type Pokemon to draw it over, subconsciously getting into the widespread stance Piers commonly sees him in during battles in tournaments.

It’s almost feral, the way Raihan crouches down, knees bent and hands looking like they could tear right into the flesh of whatever came his way. His blue eyes glint with ferocity and excitement, much like a predator spotting prey. And whenever Piers catches Raihan looking like _that_ it’s enough to send chills down his spine and his heart racing. The punk finds himself shaking his head out of his thoughts rather quickly, catching himself as he takes a few steps away from Raihan and his Goodra. How has he caught himself thinking about that _twice_ today!? He feels like an idiot for getting…flustered over something he’s seen a million times already.

The Spikemuth punk snaps back into focus when he hears the roar of the Gyarados not too far away, the sound being loud enough to startle him and make him physically stumble back at the sight of the water-type Pokemon rearing its head at Goodra. Raihan doesn’t seem to be the least bit intimidated, despite the fact that this seems like a larger-than-ordinary Gyarados.

“C’mon then Gyarados! Let’s do this! Goodra, use Thunder! Strike them down!” Goodra is quick to respond to Raihan’s command, summoning a blast of lightning down from the sky right onto the Gyarados. The large Pokemon roars from the hit, thrashing about wildly for a moment before locking eyes with Goodra.

Suddenly the Gyarados lurches forward, jaws open wide, and clamps down onto Goodra in a tough Bite. Piers’ eyes widen at the sight as the large water-type Pokemon lifts the dragon up with ease, shaking its head about with Goodra trapped in its jaws. It would be worrying if it were not for the protective slime covering Goodra’s body that seems to protect her from having Gyarados’ fangs sink into her body. Regardless the dragon-type Pokemon cries out in pain from the while thrashing it’s given, only to soon be tossed back towards Raihan in a harsh throw. Concern creases Raihan’s brow as he watches Goodra push herself back to her feet and stumble a bit once she’s up. It was a hard hit and throw, but the look on the dragon’s face shows that she’s not going to back down.

“Alright Goodra, hit it with another Thunder!” Raihan yells out, determinedly watching as Goodra nods and summons another blast of lightning to land on top of Gyarados. The roar that comes from the Atrocious Pokemon is practically deafening, Piers and Raihan both covering their ears with their hands to block out the screeching sound. The Gyarados sways from side to side, clearly weakened from the two bouts of lightning, and lets out a softer roar than before. The Hammerlocke Gym Leader grins as the large, dragon-like Pokemon collapses into the water below, Raihan now raising his arms to shield himself from the large splash of water created. Piers, meanwhile, takes cover nearby to avoid getting wet, knowing it would be quite the disaster for his hair if he were to get doused in water.

A flash of red can be seen as Raihan tosses a Pokeball to the injured Gyarados, watching as the water-type Pokemon is pulled into the capture device which lands atop of the rocky water. It wiggles, once. Then twice. Then a third time, until the central button turns green with the sound of a click. Raihan is quick to let out an excited cheer as he runs straight for the water, grasping the Pokeball that’s bobbing up and down and immediately waving it for Piers to see.

“Look I caught it! Man, I’ve always wanted a Gyarados to add to my team!” Piers can’t help but feel dumbfounded at the sight of Raihan cheering for joy whilst knee-deep in a lake filled with Arceus knows what. It’s such an extraordinary sight, and Piers is unsure whether he thinks it’s a good or bad thing.

“Ah…good job Raihan, I ‘onestly wasn’t expectin’ ye ta catch that Gyarados. Guess I better look out fer it in our next match” The rockstar narrows is gaze in what is recognised as a playful manner, and Raihan returns that gaze with one of his own. Green meets blue in an intense stare-down for a brief moment, and it’s Piers that breaks it off when his eyes move to Goodra, who appears to be injured. He wordlessly makes his way over to the dragon Pokemon and pulls out yet another full restore, which happens to be his last one for now. Standing up on the tips of his toes he administers the medicine to Goodra, who seems rather thankful for it.

Raihan, meanwhile, can’t keep his eyes off of the former Gym Leader. It’s quite cute the way he has to stand on the tips of his toes to reach Goodra’s height, but he certainly didn’t expect Piers to heal his Pokemon for him!

“O-Oh, Piers you didn’t have to do that” He says, but it seems to fall on deaf ears as the monochrome man finishes giving the dragon the full restore and gives Goodra a gentle pat on the head, despite the slimy coating.

“‘Atta girl…ye fought well” The dark-type trainer smiles softly as Goodra lets out a noise akin to what Piers would register as a ‘Thank you’. It’s at the point now that Raihan feels like a third-wheel in a way, stuck in the background of a bonding moment between his friend and his own Pokemon. How could Goodra betray him in this way!?

Once Piers is back on the flat of his feet he finally looks over to Raihan, blinking a few times before sparing him the slightest of smiles. Curse the dragon tamer’s heart for fluttering at something as small as that.

“Goodra was 'urt, it was only fair, eh? Besides, ye were too busy cheerin’ over the fact that ye caught that Gyarados. Goodra needed some love and care too” What would otherwise be a jab at Raihan’s skills as a Gym Leader _and_ dragon tamer seemed to come across as playful banter once more, much to Raihan’s surprise. In response to Piers’ jab he lets out a short laugh, a grin pulling at his features once more as he pockets the Pokeball containing the newly caught Gyarados, making his way out of the water now and giving his Goodra a pat on the back.

“I do have a question though…why did ye catch a Gyarados when yer a ‘dragon tamer’, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of yer team?” The sudden question from Piers nearly throws the self-proclaimed dragon tamer for a loop, Raihan needing to stop and ponder for a moment before giving Piers a rather obnoxious thumbs up.

“Well! In the words of the great Champion Lance himself; Not every dragon is a dragon-type Pokemon! Or…something similar to that I guess. What I mean is that there are dragons out there that aren’t dragon-types. And there’s also dragon-type Pokemon that aren’t dragons! The world works pretty mysteriously huh?”

Piers looks rather lost at this point as he tries to take a moment to process the nonsensical ramblings from the man before him, soon sighing as he scratches the back of his head in an awkward manner.

“…’Aight…makes sense I guess…” Is all he can respond with before he shrugs and looks towards the rocky cliff face looming over them, glad that it’s blocking out the horrible sun. If he burns _again_ he’ll never hear the end of it from Marnie.

“Say, I know we just started training, but you didn’t grab any more potions did you? How about we head back to the Pokemon Center so you can get some? Maybe we can even drop by the Gym if you feel like training there rather than in the Wild Area?” Raihan notices how taken aback Piers looks for a second until that vacant look crosses his expression once again. It’s silent between them before Piers averts his gaze nervously and nods, though he couples this with a shrug.

“Sure…yeah, if ye want ta. Ye did drag me away from the Pokemon Center before I could stock up, dick’ead”

The startled look on Raihan’s face from the insult makes Piers snicker a bit, the rockstar turning and walking ahead before looking back at Raihan over his shoulder.

“I didn’t say no, so are ye comin’?” He asks, watching as the Hammerlocke Gym Leader scrambles to return the slimy dragon Pokemon to her Pokeball before rushing after him (and nearly stumbling over his feet in the process).

“Yeah yeah I’m coming! Geez, didn’t think you had it in you to call me a dickhead” He sats with a laugh of his own, nudging Piers’ shoulder only to earn a scoff from the shorter male.

“Don’t get those long-ass legs in a twist Raihan. C’mon, per’aps ye can compensate draggin' me around by buyin’ me some food. I’m starvin’” The two exchange a few laughs as they walk along, and it’s in this moment that both Piers and Raihan are reminded of the times where they ventured together as young trainers, exploring the world for the first time.

It’s a shame that things aren’t the way they used to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How're you guys thinking of the story so far? I'm planning on having this as a slow-burn fic so for those who enjoy that feel free to stick around! I'm gonna try churning out chapters as often as possible, but I won't have a particular schedule! > w <


	3. Sweet Curry with Sweet Memories

Raihan is fairly relieved that his fans are not swarming him as soon as he re-enters Hammerlocke with Piers by his side, though his address earlier surely gained the attention of others around them when he had mentioned he needed them to disperse. The bantering between him and the Spikemuth punk has slowly settled over the course of their walk from the Wild Area to Hammerlocke, but there is a more comfortable atmosphere surrounding the two of them now as they walk in direction of the Pokemon Center.

“You know, it’d be nice to hang out more often again, like we used to. We could even see if Leon has enough time in that busy schedule of his to join us!” Raihan suggests with a wide smile, clearly entertained by the idea of reminiscing much happier times with his friends. Piers, however, seems to react completely opposite to that. His shoulders hunch a little and he reaches a hand up to fiddle with his choker, a familiar tell-tale to Raihan signalling anxiety or nervousness.

“Er…I dunno 'bout that…Leon’s prob’ly got better things ta do, and if ye couldn’t tell, things aren’t like 'ow they used ta be” The sudden coldness and subtle hostility in Piers’ tone throws the Gym Leader for a loop for a moment, but he doesn’t dare push the idea. It’s clearly not something the punk is into.

“Alright, if you say so. Anyway, I know a good place to eat once you get everything you need” He responds as calmly as possible, regardless of the tight feeling in his chest. He couldn’t have possibly been hurt by Piers’ sharp tone and cold words, right? The dragon-type Gym Leader doesn’t have too long to ponder on it as Piers nods and turns away once they enter the Pokemon Center, the monochrome-haired male making a beeline to the counter to begin with his purchases. The change in attitude is something Raihan should have expected, he feels, considering how Piers has reacted in the past.

As the influencer waits patiently for the other trainer to finish his shopping he finds himself glancing around the Pokemon Center, attempting to avoid thinking about the now slightly dampened mood that’s been created. Meanwhile, Piers is exchanging very few words with the cashier as he buys a few full restores and revives like he had wanted to when he first entered Hammerlocke. The rockstar can feel a wave of regret and guilt washing over him for snapping so coldly at Raihan, and knows it should be in his best interest to apologise. But right now he can’t bring himself to.

Instead, he thanks the cashier and turns back to face Raihan with a bag of his purchases, snapping his fingers to get the dragon tamer’s attention since he had been looking around the place (for some odd reason).

“‘Ey, ye ready to go? I got what I needed, ye said there was a good place ta eat nearby, ‘ight?” Piers cocks a brow as Raihan smiles and nods eagerly in response, seeming like he’s not at all put off from the Spikemuth rockstar’s bitterness from earlier. Either that or he’s just very good at hiding it, which Piers believes more than the former.

“Yeah of course! C’mon, I’ll show you” Raihan doesn’t grab Piers’ arm this time, and rather allows him to follow out of his own volition. The Hammerlocke Gym Leader now puts his hands in his hoodie pockets as they stride out of the Pokemon Center together, the taller male now taking the lead and showing the way for the dark-type trainer. His hand grasps the familiar shape of the Pokeball tucked away in his hoodie pocket, his thumb gently rubbing the smooth surface in a comforting way.

“I’ll shout lunch for us, for compensation, as you said,” Raihan speaks up and glances over at Piers with a small smile, pulling out one hand to give him another thumbs up. It’s less obnoxious compared to last time. “And besides, can’t have you going hungry!”

Piers doesn’t object to the idea of free food as he follows along, wondering where they could possibly be going since they had just passed the infamous Battle Cafe nearby the Pokemon Center. The punk rockstar doesn’t dare ask however as he slides his own hands into the front pockets of his ripped jeans, not even bothering to question when Raihan takes him through the backstreets of Hammerlocke presumably towards their destination. The silence that settles between them is not necessarily disconcerting but it is no longer as comfortable as it was before, and Piers particularly feels to blame for that from his slight outburst earlier.

“Here we are!” Raihan’s enthusiastic voice breaks the silence and brings Piers out of his thoughts as they stop in front of a small cafe that seems to have been tucked away in the back of Hammerlocke, with a home-like aesthetic and a warmth to it that the rockstar immediately finds himself drawn to.

“It looks quite nice…'ow’d ye find this place? It seems so hidden” He comments as he wanders into the cafe with the Hammerlocke Gym Leader in suit, watching the man walk past and head straight to the counter with a grin. “A Gym Leader’s gotta know his city after all, and this place has the _best_ food in the city!”

The former Gym Leader now takes his time in examining the small cafe’s interior design, taking note of the wooden theme it consistently keeps up with. Wooden furnishings and floorboards, polished to shine in a natural manner. The warm lighting reminds Piers of a cabin or lodge in a forest, similar to what he’s seen in the movies his sister watches.

“Seems nice…I’ll take yer word fer it. Feel free to surprise me. Order somethin’ ye think I’d like” This challenging request seems to get Raihan a little bit pumped up again, and it leads Piers to wonder if the dragon tamer perhaps already has an idea in mind for what to order for him. “You got it! Hey, Brian—!”

The dark-type trainer leaves Raihan to the ordering as he takes a seat at one of the tables by the right-hand side of the room, pulling out his Rotomphone to check if Marnie has attempted to contact him. He’s not surprised that he doesn’t even have any notifications, this being a sign that Marnie is 100% okay. No need to be worried. She’s a big girl and can handle herself. Definitely. A loud rouse of laughter is heard over at the counter as Raihan jokes with the owner, whom Piers presumes is the one called ‘Brian’, a sigh coming from the monochrome-clad trainer as he rests his head in his hand and watches the influencer from afar.

Does he miss the times that he, Raihan and Leon spent together when they were young? Yes of course. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will have the chance to ever do that again. The three of them have grown distant over the years, with their ever-busy schedules, which for Piers has now changed since his resignation, and their inability to keep in contact very often. Not to mention Piers has always felt like the odd Wooloo out, since Leon and Rain have such an intense, ongoing rivalry between them. But just looking at Raihan now is igniting _something_ deep inside of the rockstar. Is it more regret? Guilt? Or is it some sense of longing for what they used to have?

The punk doesn’t even realise he’s staring, which is starting to become a bit of a habit at this point since he started hanging out with Raihan, as he continues to watch the man interact with the owner so casually. He takes in the gestures, the signature grin on his face, and the obnoxiously bright orange that he’s decorated himself in. It’s just like Raihan to make himself the centre of attention. Is that why he’s staring so much? He needs to stop making a habit out of this. And so Piers forces himself to look away, eyes glazing over his phone screen as he mindlessly scrolls through his feed on social media.

He only looks up when Raihan finally joins him, the taller male having to squeeze in to fit his lanky legs under the table. The punk rockstar now puts his phone away to be polite, clasping his hands together to prevent himself from fiddling with the pendant attached to his choker.

“It shouldn’t take too long for our food to come out, I assure you you’re gonna love it!” The Hammerlocke Gym leader seems quite content as he leans back in his seat, hands resting behind his head as he shares yet another bright grin with the fellow trainer before him.

The casual posture and laid-back attitude that practically exudes from Raihan would normally make Piers visibly cringe, but today he seems to find himself not minding it this time. In fact, he’s rather enjoying it. Why does _he_ have to be the one with a stick up his ass making everything boring?

“I look forward ta it. Ye’ve spoken so ‘ighly about this place after all, so I’ll be sure ta take yer word fer it, like I said before” The dragon-type trainer seems quite happy from that response, nodding before he lets his Rotomphone fly out from his pocket.

“I wanted to get your advice, if possible. We’ve received word that there have been sightings of a Deino over by the Lake of Outrage. I’m wary about approaching it since it’s likely that it’s orphaned, but you have better knowledge about Dark types than me. How would you suggest I go about it?”

The surprise that comes across Piers’ rather taut features is one that is most certainly genuine, and understandably so as Raihan is never usually one to ask for advice from anyone, let alone Piers himself. The question that’s been asked of him is one that he now takes time to ponder over, one hand coming up to gently brush away his bangs as his brows furrow in thought.

“Mm…I suppose it depends. If the poor thin’ is orphaned it’ll likely be afraid of ye when ye attempt to approach it, no matter 'ow ‘ard ye try. Deino are fairly tricky creatures, and may even fight back when threatened” The former Gym Leader notices how interested Raihan is in what he’s saying, there being a curious look in the man’s blue eyes that he didn’t see before. Is he really that eager for his advice about this?

The answer is yes, actually. Raihan is _incredibly_ curious about Piers’ knowledge and expertise, and hopes that he can utilise it when encountering this Deino he had been informed about.

“Since Deino is a Dark and Dragon-type Pokemon, this’ll make it a lot ‘arder ta catch safely. I would suggest ye let it come to ye first. It would be preferable if ye 'ad a Zweilous or Hydreigon with ye, but considering ‘ow rare those are in Galar I’d understand if ye didn’t ‘ave one on-hand” Piers’ hands begin to gesture about as he continues with his explanation, intense eyes tracking those motions intently.

“I’ve never approached a Deino pers’nally, but it might feel safer approachin’ someone like me, who’s ‘ad experience with Dark types. If ye like I can come with ye the next time ye go to search for the li’l guy?”

The offer to help out seems to come as a shock to the both of them, Piers unable to even believe that he had offered out of the blue in the first place. However Raihan’s expression shifts to one of excitement, the taller trainer leaning over now to grab both of Piers’ hands and hold them in his own. Arceus almighty, he has large hands.

“That would be awesome! I’ve heard from many of your supporters about your affinity with Dark-type Pokemon! They say that you can practically communicate with them! I would love to see that in person” His eyes are shining once more to the point that the dark-type trainer can see sparkles of some kind deep within those waves of blue. They almost resemble the sky at dusk, with those excited glimmers of light being the stars dotting the horizon.

Piers doesn’t seem to realise he’s taking a while to respond until he finally snaps out of it a few seconds later, a nervous laugh leaving him as he refrains from the urge to pull his hands away from Raihan’s. They’re still covering his own, and he can feel the slightly calloused yet soft texture of his palm and fingertips, clear signs of his training with dragons mixed with a really fucking good skincare routine.

“E-Er…y-yeah, of course. I’m ‘appy ta help out. Wouldn’t want ye ta be torn ta shreads by a tiny li’l Deino” He lets a relaxed smile fall upon his face as he finally sits back in his seat, his body no longer as tense as it was before. No wonder his shoulders are sore.

The dragon-type Gym Leader looks satisfied with that answer as he now lets go of Piers’ slender hands, sitting back once more and glancing up as Brian comes over with their orders and places it down in front of them. Raihan now watches as the shorter male’s eyes light up at the sight of the food in front of him, though he doesn’t hesitate to pick up his own knife and fork so he can dig in to his own food.

“C’mon, it’ll get cold if you don’t eat up!” He says, already scooping up a bit of the curry he had ordered. It’s a spicy kind of curry with sausage and a hint of green beans, his favourite! The beans are fresh from Turffield, which makes it taste astoundingly better. The influencer stops in his tracks when he spots Piers remaining completely still, the man having made no attempt to begin eating his food.  
  
He is about to ask what’s wrong when the monochrome-clad punk opens his mouth to speak up, his gaze finally moving from the food before him to Raihan. “Ye…remembered my favourite food?” Piers’ voice is so quiet and timid that it was almost hard to hear, but thankfully the cafe is just as quiet enough for Raihan to have heard him speak up. He glances to where the punk has subconsciously looped one of his fingers through the pendant on his choker, watching as he swings it back and forth under the weight of his finger. To others the innocent action could come across as not so innocent, but Raihan knows better.

“Of course I did. Besides, you helped out a lot with those stupid Princes a little while ago, and I never got to show you my appreciation for that. You really helped out at Hammerlocke, which is something I want to thank you for”

Piers appears to shrink in on himself from the verbalisation of praise and thanks for actions he would not exactly consider heroic, nor would he consider it a big deal whatsoever. But again here’s Raihan making theatrics of it once again. Or maybe this is just a regular show of gratitude?

“I…ye must ‘ave a good memory past that thick skull of yers, I’m surprised ye even remembered what my favourite food was” The food in question is a sweet curry with sliced fruits and succulent berries that Piers had been taught how to make by his Ma years ago. He only ever told Raihan and Leon about this, and the punk rockstar hasn’t dared to eat the dish in many years. Now that he thinks about it, the memory almost brings him to tears. He takes a deep breath however and forces himself to look back at Raihan’s stupid, smiling face, unable to bring himself to insult the man for his efforts. In fact, this is the nicest thing anyone has done for him in a while.  
  
“…Thank ye, Raihan” Piers says after a period of silence, finally reaching forth to grasp his own utensils and eat the curry that has been served to him. Having reached this satisfactory conclusion, Raihan now resumes eating his own curry, the two falling into another comfortable silence (thankfully).

The warmth of the cafe combined with the warmth of the curries creates a lovely atmosphere that surrounds the two trainers, enveloping them much like a warm blanket on a winter’s day. That fuzzy feeling is reminiscent of sweeter times, times as sweet as the fruity curry Piers is currently delving into. Memories of heart-pumping battles, blooming emotions and fun times with friends resurface as Raihan and Piers wordlessly devour the meals before them. Contrary to past events, Piers finishes first, feeling full from the sweet curry filled with much more than just fruit. It’s filled with nostalgia, such sweet nostalgia.

Piers doesn’t realise that he’s crying until Raihan reaches a hand forth to wipe away his tears, startling him out of his trip down memory lane as green eyes meet blue once more. How many times have they made eye contact today? It’s certainly doing more than adding awkward tension to their…friendship, to say the least.

“You doing okay?” Raihan asks him with concern laced throughout his smooth voice, that same concern creasing his brow (not that it can be seen much under his bright orange headband). His gentle touch matches the soft texture of his hands, thumbs gently wiping away the tears rolling down the rockstar’s cheeks. It’s another few seconds until Piers suddenly jerks his head out of Raihan’s tender touch, sniffling as he quickly wipes away the rest of his tears. The instantaneous movement on Piers’ part only confirms the dragon tamer’s suspicions, the taller man sighing before sitting back.

“You don’t need to talk about it if you don’t want,” He starts with firstly as the monochrome male avoids his gaze, knowing better than to push his luck with Piers. The guy would likely close himself off if he dared to make the wrong move. “But I just gotta say…you’ve been looking tired, and tense. Even when I last saw you when we were dealing with the Dynamaxing Pokemon you looked like you hadn’t slept…”

Piers seems to scoff as he rubs his eyes and makes eye contact with Raihan for a split second, forcing a smile onto his face which comes across as more sad than anything else.

“I didn’t realise this'd turn into a therapy session… well sure, I’ve ‘ad better days, but I’ll be a’right. I’ve dealt with worse ye know” The former Spikemuth Gym Leader can only expect Raihan to take his reasoning and leave it be, but as soon as he sees the obnoxious man frown he knows he’s in for at least some kind of lecture. Perfect.

“…Look, I’m not gonna push this. I know you’ve never been one to…talk about your problems or whatever but…we’re still friends at the end of the day. You can always send me a message or give me a call whenever you want. Before you said things aren’t like how they used to be, and you’re right. But they don’t have to be… _exactly_ how they used to be, you know?”

The tension seems to have gotten to Raihan’s nerves as he clasps his hands together, giving them something to do in the meantime as he maintains proper eye contact with the punk sitting across from him. “Maybe we can go and hang out together again? We can even invite Leon if his schedule allows it. We can go camping in the Wild Area, or go visit some other part of Galar. I guess what I’m trying to say is…I don’t want you to think that I don’t care, or that I think you’re not a friend to me. My phone is always available”

What is this, some sort of confession? His words are so incredibly heartfelt that it tugs at Piers’ own heartstrings for a moment. A wave of guilt washes over the rockstar as he averts his gaze to his lap, where his hands are now placed in order to keep them still.

“I…okay, I’ll take that. Thank ye. I’ll keep in contact with ye…but don’t forget, ye gotta focus on yer trainin’ for the Galarian Star Tournament”

Of course he attempts to redirect the conversation away from himself, given that he prefers that people don’t worry about him. Raihan looks to be more of the stubborn type however and Piers can feel himself shrink further under the Hammerlocke Gym Leader’s scrutinising gaze. A rumbling, thoughtful hum sounds from deep in Raihan’s chest before he resigns himself with a sigh and carefully pushes himself to his feet, smiling as he steps out from his seat at the table and offers a hand for the punk to take.

“Yeah, as do you. I look forward to taking you on in the Tournament” That charming smile of his reappears on his handsome, tan features, and Piers now hesitates before finally reaching a hand of his own to grasp Raihan’s. It wouldn’t be so bad to keep in contact with an old friend…hopefully. With a grunt, and the taller man’s help, he pulls himself out of his seat and onto his feet, stopping himself from falling forward into the Gym Leader’s chest. A heat rises to his cheeks once more as he clears his throat, letting go of Raihan’s hand before his own can become clammy in the (definitely not intimate) grasp.  
  
“A-And I the same to ye. Ye better not ‘old anythin’ back, ye ‘ear?” A determined expression makes its way onto Piers’ face, one that the other trainer soon replicates with equal tenacity and likely more enthusiasm, which is expected from Raihan of course.

With a solid nod and a toothy grin the influencer turns and beckons Piers to follow him out of the cafe, the two having finished their lunch after all.

“I best leave you back to your training, I’ve kept you away from it for long enough now anyway” And so the two bid their goodbyes and thanks to Brian, who shares a small smile and a hearty laugh with them before waving them off. What a nice guy. He seems to know Raihan quite well.

Piers follows Raihan out of the winding side streets of Hammerlocke, his gaze remaining locked onto the taller man as he keeps up with his long stride. This is the most they’ve spoken outside of battles in a long time, and the dragon tamer shows genuine care and concern for him in the cafe. While Piers is unsure about what to consider Leon, he is once again reminded that he can certainly call Raihan a friend.

So why does his heart twist when he does just that?

“Well, here you are! Just down that way and you’re back to the Wild Area! I know you don’t get lost like Leon does, but I thought I’d point you in the right direction anyway” An amused look comes across the Gym Leader’s face at the thought of the former Champion wandering around like a lost Mareep, but he knows that Piers definitely has a much better sense of direction than his purple-haired rival.

In a quick exchange of farewells Piers now goes along his way back towards the Wild Area, the eye contact between them lasting a bit longer than usual before they go on their seperate ways. The first thing the punk rockstar does is pull out his phone to contact his sister, the urge to check on her now rising as he wanders out into the harsh sunlight once more. His thumb hovers over a different contact however; Raihan’s. The smiling photo that his friend had taken when first entering his contact details into the Rotomphone stares right into his soul as he hesitates on clicking on it, the Spikemuth punk now stopping in his tracks before glancing back at the entrance to Hammerlocke. A second passes. Then two. And then three.

Piers’ thumb presses down on the contact, and he types out a message which he hopes he will later not come to regret.

_‘thanks for today. talk to you soon - piers’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of introducing my own villain team into this story! Good idea or bad idea? If good, do you guys have any ideas on what I could have them based off of?


	4. Flaming Passions Rekindled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a slight TW for this chapter; hints to anxiety and/or anxiety attacks.

“Agh! Marnie, careful will ye!?” A bitter voice snaps as a soothing cream is applied to the back of now bright red shoulders, which are currently hunched as Marnie attempts to soothe the blotchy sunburns on the once paler skin. Despite not being in the sun for too long it seems that Piers still managed to get sunburned. Again. He’s not very good at dressing for the weather, though he attempted to refute this by saying that Marnie doesn’t burn as easily as he does.

The younger Spikemuth sibling scoffs as she continues to help her brother apply the cream to the sunburns, though at this rate it’s possible that a burn heal may come in handy.

“Quit complainin’, you’re the one who didn’t put on any sunscreen” Marnie retorts in an equally snappy manner, though between the two of them there is no evidence of hostility. The older punk lets out an exasperated sigh as he stays as still as possible, forcing his shoulders to relax as his sister finishes up and puts the cap back on the cream she had used. It’s silent for a moment between them before Piers murmurs a small ‘thank you’ to the Spikemuth Gym Leader, his face partially hidden behind his bangs.

Marnie’s lips pull into a gentle smile before she reaches up on the tips of her toes and gently pats her brother on the head a few times. Even when he’s hunched over like some goblin he still manages to be taller than her while sitting down. The gesture of familial affection is returned with equal tenacity as Piers pulls her in with an arm around her shoulders, a toothy grin on his faces he reaches up and proceeds to ruffle her hair once more. It’s his favourite past time, to tease his sister’s hair. After all, since his is so long and voluminous, Marnie can’t do the same to him in return. The ruffling and tangling earns a whine from the smaller girl as she pouts once again, gently nudging his side to get him to stop.

The ex-Gym Leader only stops when he hisses in slight pain, his sunburn hurting from his sudden movements. That doesn’t stop him from smiling as he lets go of Marnie, letting her step back and attempt to fix up her now messy and unkempt pigtails.

“I’m not surprised that Raihan didn’t offer you any of that sunscreen, the bloke is tan as. Speakin’ of which; how was it? You spent like an hour or so with him yesterday, which is a record for you. And you’ve been on your phone a lot more too” Marnie states as if it were a blatant observation, and the question about her sibling’s time with the other Gym Leader sounds like it could have a hidden motive behind it.

Suspicious, Piers now narrows his gaze, straightening his back and carefully stretching his arms out in front of him. “It was a’ight, got ta catch up with ‘im which was nice I suppose. And of course he didn’t offer any sunscreen, like ye said, he’s as tan as. He wouldn’t need any” The rockstar pushes himself to his feet now and picks up his Rotomphone off the table, glancing to his sister when she gives him a teasing grin.

“Well I’m glad you had a nice time bro, I’m off to meet up with Hop and Gloria. We’re goin' to go campin’ in the Wild Area” She says as she now reaches up and unties her pigtails, puffing some of the hair that falls in front of her face away before beginning to tie them back up once more. “I’ll see you later, you better rest up and make sure your burns heal up alright”

A nod from Piers leaves Marnie smiling once again as she bids her goodbyes and heads out the door as soon as her bows are tied neatly, those very same bows bouncing atop her head with every step she takes. The door clicks shut behind her and Piers is soon left in silence, the dark-type trainer letting out a soft hum to himself before looking down at the phone in his hand. His sister was accurate in the observation she made about his increased screentime. Since yesterday he’s been messaging Raihan, which is quite unlike him to be keeping a conversation going over messages for longer than 5 minutes at a time.

Their conversation was last left off from a good morning text from the Hammerlocke Gym Leader himself, coupled with emoticons to match the happy-sounding message. Piers was asleep when it was first sent, since he’s not particularly a morning person (hence the ‘punk-looking’ eyebags), but responded with a good morning text of his own, completely devoid of emoticons, punctuation or capitalisation. The dark-type trainer has currently left the conversation on read, Raihan’s message sitting in the grey textbox, awaiting a response from him.

_‘What’re you up to today? I was wondering if you wanted to come over to the Gym for a match? Or I can even come over to Spikemuth and we can battle there? Whatever’s easiest for you! ( ´_ ∀ _` )’_

Arceus, he forgot how eager the dragon tamer has been for a match, especially after yesterday. Piers isn’t sure if he has the energy for such a battle, and seeing Raihan for two days in a row could be proven to be exhausting in itself. It’s just exhausting the monochrome man just thinking about it. But he still has to give a response. It could be worth the training…and seeing his friend again might be good for his social battery. Marnie would be proud of him for ‘steppin’ out of his shell’ as she’d say. Who’d of thought such a tiny girl would fit so much wisdom inside that tiny little head?

His thumbs fly across the digital keyboard as he begins to type up a response, a yawn passing over as he does so. He feels fur brush against his leg and his gaze flicks past his phone to his Skuntank gently rubbing up against his legs, the former Gym Leader letting a soft chuckle leave him as he reaches down and gives him a pet.

“Mornin’ bud, ye hungry? I could cook up a curry fer ye an' the others” He says with a soft smile, watching as Skuntank lifts his head to nuzzle Piers’ hand with a cry of his name. The tender show of affection is enough to warm the punk’s heart for the morning, and he puts his phone down for the moment so he can cook up some food for his Pokemon. Surely Raihan would be able to wait about ten minutes for Piers to reply.

However, as he faces the stove, saucepan in hand stirring about the curry ingredients that are sizzling away on the metal surface, his Rotomphone is beeping and buzzing with every occasional message that comes through. The Rotom itself within the phone even seems surprised by the sudden influx of messages in the ex-Gym Leader’s inbox, powering itself on to float over to its owner.

“Bzzt! Four new messages from Raihan! Would you like to read them? Bzzt?” The Rotomphone floats by Piers expectantly, watching as the man continues to stir the curry in the saucepan as rice boils nearby on the stove.

“Ta Rotom, but not now. I’ll get ta it as soon as I can, ‘ight?” The punk waves the haunted phone away with a gesture of his hand, noticing it disappear from his peripheral vision as he focuses on the task at hand. Skuntank, meanwhile, is rubbing up against his legs, excited to be eating very soon. _All_ of Piers’ Pokemon get excited when he cooks. Even his Pokeballs are wiggling in excitement.

Piers chuckles as he lets the curry simmer on the stove, now turning to the cupboard to grab a few deep plates for his Pokemon and setting them out on the counter so he can begin serving helpings of curry into them.

“‘Ight ye lot, breakfast’s ready!” He grins as he finally lets out the rest of his team, almost laughing as they appear crowded in the tiny kitchen. Trills and chirps sound amongst the dark-type trainer’s Pokemon as they eagerly await their breakfast to be brought to them, Piers now beginning to scoop up the cooked rice and curry into the five deep plates he has set out. The punk rockstar ends up having to squeeze past both Toxtricity and Obstagoon to get to the living room once he’s served up the tasty treats, placing two of the five plates down before going back to retrieve the final three.   
  
“C’mon, outta the way” A soft chuckle rumbles in Piers’ chest as he ushers Toxtricity and Obstagoon out of the way so they can go and eat first, Skuntank, Malamar and Scrafty watching him expectantly as he balances two plates on one arm and holds the third plate in his other hand. His Pokemon follow him out to the living room, eyes trained on the balancing act their trainer is performing right in front of them. Carefully, the monochrome-clad man squats down to place down the rest of the plates, standing aside and letting his Pokemon feast.

Piers lets a natural smile pull at his lips as he watches his beloved team eat up the delicious curry he served them, a feeling of gladness settling deep in his chest as the food is gobbled up quicker than he can even blink. Meanwhile, his Rotomphone returns, buzzing for his attention.

“Another message from Raihan! Bzzt!” It says, swaying from side to side in an excited manner. Thinking that he’s left Raihan hanging long enough, Piers reaches over and gently grasps his Rotomphone, letting the Pokemon-infested device settle down in his hand as he opens up the messages. Arceus, the Hammerlocke Gym Leader really doesn’t care about double texting huh?

_‘No stress if you don’t wanna hang out by the way! I know you’re pretty busy with Spikemuth and all that’_

_‘You can even invite Marnie if you want to! I’ll check with Leon to see what he’s up to as well :D’_

_‘Just spoke with Leon and he’s free! He’s happy to meet up at Hammerlocke Gym for some training! Though he might not partake because of some bias or unfair advantage thing he spoke of ¯\\_(_ ツ _)_/¯ ‘_

_‘But still, it’ll be fun! I can come pick you up with Flygon if it helps? Better yet, I can shout you food as well?’_

_‘Just let me know what you wanna do! Sorry for the mini-spam!’_

How can Piers be mad at a man who uses _emoticons_ for Arceus’ sake? And to be fair, he should have expected this from someone like Raihan, who is a repeat offender with double texting. Or quintuple texting, in more accurate terms. The Spikemuth punk sighs as he takes a seat at the kitchen table, firstly deleting what he was originally going to send before proceeding to type up a newer, and more fitting, response to the dragon tamer’s multiple messages. He originally was going to agree to meeting up with Raihan for a rematch, but now that Leon is going to be there too…he isn’t exactly sure if he can handle another disgustingly positive and optimistic person alongside his friend. Reminiscing his earlier thoughts about Leon, he recalls how he isn’t sure whether he considers the former Champion of Galar a friend, or more of an acquaintance.

His thumbs halt in their movements and Piers finds himself chewing on his bottom lip as he thinks of what to say, crossing one of his slim legs over the other as his brows furrow in concentration. Green eyes almost bore a hole right through the mechanics of the phone screen, the rockstar’s mind racing with thoughts about the current scenario and how to tackle it. Are there really any downsides to this? The answer is no; there’s not.

Piers sighs as he finishes typing out the rest of his message, pressing send before his conscience regrets anything he may have said or agreed to.

_‘sorry for taking a while. was just feeding my pokemon. i can come over to hammerlocke for a rematch. itll be nice to catch up with you and leon’_

That should satisfy Raihan for now, Piers thinks as he pushes himself to his feet and heads right back up to his room, phone in hand to check on any replies that may from the obnoxious Gym Leader. It isn’t long until his phone is buzzing in his hand, signalling that the dragon tamer has indeed responded to him. Multiple times. He certainly is ever the double-texter.

The replies seem to be filled with many emoticons and exclamation marks, hinting that Raihan is clearly excited and happy in regards to Piers’ own response. So much for resting up like Marnie wanted him to. He’s now got to get dressed to trudge over to Hammerlocke again, though this time the punk is considering calling a Flying Taxi instead of walking. It’s sunny outside, which Piers wishes _wasn’t_ the case, so to prevent worsening his sunburn his pale hands reach forth to grab his jacket from the back of his desk chair sitting in the corner of his room. It’ll sting like a bitch to wear it but he’s gotta do what he’s gotta do.

The Spikemuth rockstar glances down at his phone again to read just exactly what Raihan had sent him, his brow consequently arching as he reads through the excited punctuation. Does the man even know how to give a break between messages? Or, Arceus forbid, just send _one_?

_‘Oh great that’s so awesome to hear!!_ ╰ _(_ _◕_ _ᗜ_ _◕_ _)_ ╯ _’_

_‘I just let Leon know as well and he’s happy to hear that you’re coming! It’s gonna be so much fun, I promise!!_ ☆ _*:. o(_ ≧ ▽≦ _)o .:*_ ☆ _’_

It seems the more excited Raihan gets, the more extravagant emoticons he sends. Does he just have them saved somewhere? No matter, now Piers has to make sure he gets to Hammerlocke to get this over and done with. Thankfully, it doesn’t take too long to get changed into his regular Gym Leader attire, or ex-Gym Leader attire for that matter, and make his way back down to his happy and well-fed Pokemon. Six pairs of eyes immediately meet his own green ones as his team sits patiently and attentively, waiting for his go-ahead to leave their tiny Spikemuth home.

“C’mon ye lot, in yer Pokeballs now. We’re ‘eaded to Hammerlocke fer a battle against Raihan” He says as he begins to return each Pokemon, one by one, into their respective Pokeballs, flashes of red filling the living room until each one of his beloved team members are safely tucked away and attached to the loop of his belt at his side.

A soft sigh leaves him as he now pulls open his front door and briskly strides into the streets of Spikemuth. He waves a hand to some of the Team Yell grunts and other Spikemuth citizens that bid him a good morning, now beginning to wander down the main street towards the entrance. His slightly-heeled boots click with every step against the dirty cobblestone, the sound echoing in his ears before he emerges into the sunlight basking the corner of Route 9 and Route 7. The former Gym Leader immediately brings up a gloved hand to shield his face, tinged with red and pink, from the blinding rays that would be sure to burn him, squinting from the change in brightness before pushing forth towards the Route 7 Tunnel. At least that will keep him out of the sun.

As the punk rockstar wanders past the tufts of tall grass and nearby trainers his mind also wanders along with him, which seems to be once again a common occurrence as of late. So much thinking, reminiscing, pondering, and anything that can be considered some sort of train of thought has been consuming Piers’ brain to the point that he doesn’t believe he’d be able to have a normal train of thought ever again. Instead he’s destined to think of Raihan, stupidly optimistic Raihan, and Leon, stupidly optimistic Leon.

Surprisingly enough Piers is finding himself excited for the rematch with Raihan. In fact, perhaps even a little ‘fired up’ as Marnie would say. Ever since he had battled in the last Champion’s Cup Piers’ passion for battling has rekindled once again, despite his own belief that he would never feel that way about Pokemon battling ever again. He was proved oh so very wrong indeed. Even when he was training with the Hammerlocke Gym Leader only yesterday he was just as pumped then as he is now, though he could be considered even _more_ pumped to battle such a formidable opponent such as Raihan.

Not to mention, Leon is going to be there too. The ex-Champion of Galar. Piers has only had very few rare opportunities to battle against the purple-haired man with eyes of gold, and he can never forget the way those golden eyes burn right into him with such fiery passion and exhilaration. It’s no wonder he has his prized Charizard as his partner. It’s as if the fire-type Pokemon is a physical embodiment of Leon’s flaming personality.

Piers cringes at his own analogy. Too much talk of fire is making his sunburn hurt.

Thankfully he appears to be approaching the eastern gates of Hammerlocke, which gives him less time to ponder on the thoughts of Leon’s and Raihan’s blazing personalities (which is for the best at this point). Piers can feel the pre-battle jitters creeping right into his bones, sending a shiver down his spine that corrects his horrible posture for a split second. The punk’s bony shoulders hunch over once more as he walks along the main street of Hammerlocke, destined to arrive at the stadium in due time.

Another crowd has formed outside the entrance to the stadium, a similar sight to yesterday’s preceding events before he and Raihan had hung out for the day. This time, however, there are a lot more people than usual. It’s when a hint of purple is spotted amongst the chaos that Piers realises that it’s because of a particular popular Pokemon Trainer arriving in Hammerlocke. Not only that, but Hammerlocke’s Gym Leader seems to be there with him. Good publicity for the two of them to be seen together. The fans will go wild with this one that’s for sure. (Well, when a lot of social media enthusiasts are continuously posting fan-edits and theories on Raihan and Leon’s speculated romantic relationship it’s hard to not question the possible homosexual undertones in their interactions).

Fans are begging for autographs and pictures from the two ‘celebrities’, who are doing their best to appease their demands with casual smiles and waves. A few of those fans take notice of the dark-type trainer, now rushing over to him with sparkles in their eyes and excited chatters of noise akin to static.   
  
Piers, unused to the mass of attention headed his way, awkwardly raises his hands in front of his chest, palms facing the Hammerlocke civilians that are approaching him as if he were going to gently push them away. Yesterday he did look a bit more inconspicuous, but today not so much.

“Piers! Your last match in the Champion’s Cup was amazing!”  
  
“Can you please sign this? You’re my favourite Gym Leader!”

“Your team is amazing! What’s your training schedule like!?”

A sense of overwhelming anxiety washes over the former Gym Leader as he takes a few steps back, an awkward smile twitching on his face as he fumbles for a response to the questions being thrown his way. This is why he never goes out to places where large groups of people gather, hence his lack of appearances at opening ceremonies and other publicity stunts organised by the Pokemon League. The punk’s mouth begins to feel dry and any attempt to speak up is halted, the fans continuing to pester him despite his failure to say anything in regards to their questions. At this rate he can feel himself shutting down and isn’t able to do a single thing about it.

What are the grounding techniques again? How is he meant to concentrate on anything with these people all up in his personal space? Piers’ hands feel clammy now and his stare is unfocused, that awkward smile still on his face which appears to be paler than usual despite his sunburns. Not a good sign. What is he meant to do? How can he get out of this? He knows he’s better than this, so why is he stuck here amongst a bunch of idio-

“Hey hey guys! Back up and give him some room okay? He’s not here to give any autographs or pictures so please leave him be” A familiar sounding voice seems to help Piers ground himself back to reality, and his blurry gaze focuses on the bright purple that’s moved into his vision. Wait, purple? The monochrome man manages to flick his focus to the golden eyes staring right at him, shimmering with worry that also seems to be creasing the former Champion’s perfect brow. Piers almost doesn’t notice the arm that wraps around his shoulders so easily, the rockstar nearly tripping over his own feet as he’s tugged towards the slightly taller man beside him. His shoulder bumps into Leon’s solid chest, and the anxiety currently fuelling his rapidly beating heart seems to also fuel the slight blush that spreads across his cheeks. Fuck.

As the crowd disperses once again Piers can spot Raihan walking over with a similar concerned expression to Leon’s, and suddenly Piers feels rather small and insignificant in the company of these two men.

“Breathe Piers, breathe. C’mon, let’s head over this way, okay?” Raihan’s gentle, coaxing words coupled with Leon’s subtle guidance, with the help of his arm around the smaller male’s shoulders, assists in helping him stumble along towards the Hammerlocke Gym. While he was certainly able to breathe before, being told to breathe now helps the punk rockstar feel much more aware of his increasing heart rate. Okay, time to calm down now.

As soon as the trio are out of sight of the general public Piers speaks up, shoulders slightly hunched and his voice more quiet and timid than usual.

“Sorry ‘bout that…didn’t mean ta cause a hassle” He feels even more withdrawn when blue and gold eyes turn to him, and he can only wish that he could crawl under a rock and hide from this scenario. The former Champion and Hammerlocke Gym Leader share a glance with one another before the arm around Piers’ shoulders slides away, Leon’s smiling face appearing before the monochrome-clad man.

“You didn’t cause any hassle I can promise you of that. You’re here for a fun time, not to be swarmed with fans. As much as a certain someone may adore the attention—“ Leon flicks his gaze to Raihan, who feigns hurt with a shocked expression and a hand over his chest. Ever the dramatic one. “—we know that you don’t enjoy it as much. So it’s alright, you’re safe here” Those words of reassurance settle deep into Piers’ frail bones, rattling a shaky sigh from him that finally helps him calm his nerves and let the anxiety slowly wash away.

Some of the anxiety still remains, but it’s much less worrisome than it was before. Who’d have thought that, after all this time, Leon and Raihan still know just what to do to pull him out of those trances Piers gets into?

The Spikemuth punk gives the two a slight smile once he’s recollected his senses, taking the time to relax his body and lower his shoulders from their hunched position. He no longer looks as defensive as he did before, much to Leon’s and Raihan’s relief.

“Thanks…yer right, I did c’mere fer a fun time. Yer meant ta show me that, isn’t that ‘ight Raihan?” The subtle challenge earns Piers a raised brow from Raihan, once again hidden beneath the bright orange of his signature headband. The dragon tamer shows off a toothy grin that features his incredibly sharp canines, blue eyes glistening once more at the thought of the battle he and Piers are going to have. And it is certainly going to be fun.

“Yeah you got it. I’ll be sure to show you a fun time~” He banters back with a wink, a soft chuckle following those taunting words. What he didn’t expect was for Piers’ sunburned cheeks to grow a bit more red, something that Raihan thought he wouldn’t feel flustered at the sight of. Him? The Great Raihan? Feeling flustered? It’s not his thing. Not his image. Totally.

He wouldn’t mind seeing Piers blush a bit more though.

“Okay you two! Let’s head to the stadium. Raihan, you lead the way. You know how lost I get” Leon brushes off the strangely constructed tension with a laugh and a simple wave of his hand, cape billowing behind him as he and the monochrome punk follow in his long stride towards the battlefield. The two share a smile and a joke as they walk behind the Hammerlocke Gym Leader, the sound of their soft laughter like sweet music that’s filled with melody and harmony. Strange, how the three of them can blend so well whilst being so different.

Kinda like making a curry, huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta be honest this is the most fun I've had with writing in ages! I hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am! ^ w ^


End file.
